


Parody Magi Maxvid Magica

by veneerofcute



Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: Attempted Murder, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Gore, M/M, Manipulation, Minor Character Deaths, Obsessive Behavior, Possessive Behavior, Puella Magi Madoka Magica AU, Puella Magi Madoka Magica Spoilers, Sadism, Victim Blaming, actual murder too, cult behaviour (obviously), like more gore than Madoka or camp camp has, lots of gore in fact, lots of manipulation, more gore and violence than sexual stuff though that's a part too, oh and a tonne of this is played for laughs, oh this really doesn't make sense unless you've seen Madoka Magica sorry, pedophile!David, psuedo cannibalism, tbh I think of it as cheating, technically not underage but still very much underage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-21
Updated: 2018-04-28
Packaged: 2019-03-17 12:05:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13658628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/veneerofcute/pseuds/veneerofcute
Summary: David and Gwen were regular adults until one day they have a fateful encounter with a boy called Max.  Max has informed them that they have a special destiny to be magical girls.  I mean people, magical people.  They just need to make a wish and they can fight witches (which are nothing like magic girls right?)  The only advice given on wishes is not to make a selfish wish whatever that is.  However things are turned asunder when Daniel appears and tells David he must not become a magical girl.  He couldn't possibly have extremely creepy reasons for this could he?  Does this work have too many trigger warnings for the story to be remotely wholesome?  The answer to these questions is as clear as Max being Kyubey here.In other words, a story that makes fun of Puella Magi Madoka Magica using camp camp characters.Please mind the tags.  This is a dark comedy and I will not be sympathetic if you just didn't read the trigger warnings.





	1. Mephistopheles

**Author's Note:**

> Please mind the tags.

My precious naive David’s first wish had been so pure I had thought that he was unaffected by the dark toxins all around us.  He had simply wished that everyone would have a happy time at camp just like when he had been a camper.  Low and behold Max was cruel and Neil died in much the same way Jasper had.

Of course I wanted to give him a second third and even forth chance.  This time he will make the right choice.  He must do.  I made my wish out of love.  I wished for the power to turn back time.  I told David to be more specific but he told me that Max wouldn’t do that anymore, that Max had really grown as a person over the summer.  He did reword his wish and it backfired differently: everyone was really happy then camp ended and we had to watch the campers get slowly tortured to death.  Max had said, that they were happy at camp so why did it matter how things went after camp.  The kid is a complete freak.

I knew that I could make things right so I went back but this time. I took Max out into the middle of the woods and buried him alive.  I miss my old sense of hope.  I decided to get some alone time with David and ensure that my most precious sacrifice: the one that will someday ensure that I will take my place amongst the ancient ones, is on the correct path.  He told me that he had chosen his wish. I smiled and asked what it was only to see Max stand in front of us, a blank look on his face.  He was wearing that awful white hoodie and flicking his tail back and forth.  I hate the sight of it, taking something as pure as the colour white and making it disgusting.  He has little bows and bits of red all over it, but still the resemblance to something that's been through a purification sauna is cruel.

I glared at him as David wished for Max’s happiness.  David’s smile was so big, as a soul gem appeared on his tummy and I once again reset time.  The way Max looks at me makes me feel so much stronger than him.  He can grant wishes but I can undo them.  I can make him feel so weak.  I would laugh but I don’t fancy resetting time just so David doesn’t find me creepy.  That guy gets creeped out too easily sometimes.  It’s really weird.

I hated what Max said next.  “Don’t you want your beloved to be happy?”  Of course I do.  I want him to be happy with me.

David has had soul gems all over the place now and he is amazingly strong in battle.  Though his soul gems have appeared everywhere they usually are implying his fatherly feelings towards the campers.  Such purity.  Sometimes I don’t find out what his wish was but always I know that he is pure and unblemished.  So unusual in an adult: it drives me crazy with desire.  Nothing could blame me for finding him irresistible.

Right now we’re together and Max is once again making his first attempt at offering David a wish and a chance to be a magical boy.  I stop him with my knife and while he reattaches his head I shout, “David, you can’t make a contract with him. He’s evil!”

David looks at me and says, “No child is evil.”  At one stage I would have agreed with him.  We are all pure at birth after all.  Max is the ultimate evidence that that’s just not true though.  I’m sure that there is an explanation.  Maybe he’s been blasted with more dark toxins than usual somehow.  How anyone can just ignore the way this child’s skin is reconnecting is beyond me.  Surely this must be a sign of David’s sheer level of purity, that he can’t even see impurity when it’s standing right in front of him.  Sadly, I always have to begin like this, or David instantly wishes for something utterly stupid.  One time he wished for a hug from Max.  It’s very frustrating.  I trust that all will be revealed though.

“He is no ordinary child.  Look at him.”  Max finishes healing but now just stands there.  “He doesn’t even act like a child.”

With a bitter tone, Max all but whines, “Since when was there only one way to be a child.”  His face then goes back to plain, emotionless, stoicism.  I always feel uneasy by his appearance whenever he’s in this hoodie, but that statement is more of a blue hoodie reaction.  I always thought that I was the one who could make people uncomfortable if I wanted to but this kid is just something else.  I hate him so much.  I have killed him off a few times now just to relieve stress.  It’s never enough though.  It'll never be enough until he's dead for good.  I'm sure we'll all be happier then.  Shame he won't make much of a sacrifice but maybe I kill him, more adults will reach adulthood and still be worthy of sacrifice.

David says, “I don’t see much harm in any of this.”  He pets the boy and his hood falls down.  Suddenly he’s back to wearing his blue hoodie and actually has an expression on his face: unending anger.  Long ago, I might have felt something seeing such emotions in a small child.  I need to end this soon before it starts to effect me.

“David, quit being such an idiot.  Can’t you see that Daniel is just saying things to lead you into his cult?”  So much anger.  So much negative energy.  So much child like simplicity?  What even is this?

He stamps off and I’m left to talk to David.  There’s no point in trying to explain everything about Max, but I’m sure he’ll listen to the basics.  “David, just don’t make any deals with him.”

David asks, “Why are you acting like this?  Max is a little unusual but what child isn’t?  Plus isn’t compromise the best thing ever?”  Yeah here’s a compromise for you: Max gets to live and you obey.  That good.

Am I the only one that sees all the creepy stuff?  How the heck do people just not notice that he turns up shortly before people die?  Why aren't there any rumours?  People keep on dying around him.  I can see that being the case with myself since I try to hide things but Max doesn’t.  David I can see being oblivious to me but Max kind of just goes up to random people and cutely asks them to be Magical Girls and answers any questions they may have.  It’s so weird.  Sure, Max only admits certain truths but the whole ‘I kill people’ thing isn’t really something he covers too much.  Indeed, I can't think of a thing he's hidden at all.  There is no mystery so why does David care about him?  I can't let this emotions show.  Keep things simple.  “I know that he’s foul mouthed most of the time, but his reality warping-”

“Oh, Max isn’t the only camper that can do that sort of thing.  We have two other Magic Kids.  I think you’ll like both of them.  Nerris is an absolute sweetie… who I haven’t seen for a while now I think about it.”  Yeah, because Max has already killed her.  Maybe.  I don’t really care.  David keeps on talking about the boring children and I nod pretending to listen.  I can’t wait until I’ve made David my own so I can kill all these little brats.

My ultimate sacrifice will be amazing once I’ve perfected him.  “I really admire your dedication to these children.”  Nothing wrong with encouraging his sweetness.  Sweetness is part of wholesomeness and wholesomeness is part of purity.  Not the best part but a part nonetheless.

“That’s nice.  I hope you can find them as enjoyable as I do.”

“I’m sure I will.”  I’m sure I will love purifying them when the time comes.  How I wish it was now. How I wish I had succeeded the first time.  That could have been so much fun.

David’s eyes glance around the camp.  I wonder what he’s thinking.  What kind thoughts he’s thinking as he sees Max talk with Harrison and the way Harrison is looking so shocked by Max’s statements.  Harrison looks so uncomfortable so I wonder what Max has said that’s managed to get his attention.  It’s not like anyone’s even noticed the amount of blood that’s covering his hoodie.  I watch David go over as Harrison starts to sound increasingly angry.  I hear Harrison shout, “How does he know about my brother?”  Like me, Max learned about him in another timeline.  It's so annoying having people not be able to keep up.  Stupid child made his own brother disappear.  I don’t want to watch this.  It doesn’t matter, but I hate watching Harrison become a witch.  His witch isn’t even a nice one.  It killed Nikki a few time skips ago.  It usually kills Nerris.  I turn away.  I can stop Harrison from wishing his brother back and I can even ensure that he’ll come back alive, but it won’t help.  If I do so, Max will put the pressure on David while I’m dealing with Harrison and David will make a wish.

I guess there is one thing I could try.  “David, I think we should deal with this together.”  Max cocks his brow.  “You know Max so well and I really want to understand magic.  Didn’t you say that Harrison knows magic too?”

David smiles and says, “That’s a great idea.  I’ll talk to Max and you talk to Harrison.”  No.  Max grabs David and walks away.  This is bad.  No, wait.

Redo.  “Well, David, you see I really want to get to understand Max better since I have been finding him so difficult.”

David smiles and says, “That’s another great idea.  I’ll talk to Harrison and you talk to Max.”

Max grabs David and whines, “Please don’t leave me with the crazy cultist.”

“What is it with you and these cult jokes?”  Yeah, just because you don’t understand my religion it doesn’t mean you can call it something so nasty.

David pouts and says, “Sorry Daniel but the happiness of my campers comes first.”  He’s so adorable.

“But surely, Max must need to get used to me.”

“Max has all summer to do that.”

Redo.  Wait, what do I want to say to them?  Darn it, Max is already dragging David away with his manipulative words.  Redo.  “Well, David, you see-”

Max interrupts, “You can’t win this argument.  Quit resetting time.  It’s getting annoying.”  I wish he would watch his language.

Never.  Never mind how tiring this gets, I will save David.

After David and I reprimand Max’s terrible language, he asks, “What are you talking about Max?”

He coldly replies, “Daniel keeps on cheating in our argument because he can’t take that I’m a better debater than him.”  He then pulls on his hair, clearly frustrated.

David smiles and says, “I had no idea you are that good at debating.  We should totally start up a debate camp.”  So easily excited.  He’s more like a child than anyone else here.

Still, this is easy.  I say, “I’ll arrange it with you.”  I can do this.  I know a lot about manipulation and what is debating but honest manipulation?

Max says, “If you’re going to arrange a debate camp, shouldn’t you be doing this with the one that’s winning the debate that you just were made aware was happening.”  Darn he’s good but what are David’s feelings?

“I think that you two should talk about this with each other since clearly you know so much.”  Oh shit he’s angry.  Damn, you Max, making him angry.  Redo.

No, wait, that wasn’t too bad a timeline.  Let me take back that redo!  Max shouts, “What?  Daniel, that time line was what you wanted.”  I push him away and quietly think about showing my power of him physically.  Actually, taking my anger out on something isn’t a bad idea but Max is very powerful and David would hate me if I did anything serious to him.

I can’t take this anymore and say, “Fine then, stay talking to Harrison.  I need to spend time with David anyway.”  I pull David away into our cabin and lock him in there.  He doesn’t suspect a thing.  I don’t care.  I can reset time.  I can reset guilt.  I can do no evil.  I can do no evil.  I don’t have to worry about a thing.  All I want is a sacrifice and I need a stress relief.  Stupid Max.  Still I can push all my stress out onto David.  Max will be busy killing off his friends.  I don’t have to worry about Max for at least another hour and that’s plenty of time.  In fact, since I can reset time, I have all the time in the world.

David looks at me and says, “I think it’s great that you want to spend time with me, but really you should be looking after the campers.  I know Max is weirdly immortal and able to take hits and never seems to feel pain, but it was still mean to cut his head off like that.”

I push David down on to his bed.  I love how he doesn’t even want to hurt those that can’t be hurt.  It’s so pure.  It’s it obvious with a single glance that Max is strong, impure and not at all innocent.  Not like myself who has worked so hard to make everything pure.  I look at David and admire his innocence.  It shows as he bounces his hair around as he pleads for the undeserving.  Such innocence needs to be protected.  Such innocence can’t be ruined, not even by me.  I pull on his clothes and start to rip them off.  He suddenly goes very quiet.  He wants this.  There’s no doubt that will hold me back.  Once I have his tops off, he seems to awaken for he pushes me off him.  “What’s with you?”

“It’s simple.  We will connect.”  Repeatedly.

I won’t damage his skin, more than I have to but fortunately I can just put the pressure on his neck.  It’s beautiful watching the way he grasps for air under me.  Just before his final squirm I release his neck and start on the rest of his body.  By the time I have the rest of his clothes off, he is starting to get his breath back and I’m working on his ass.  “Please no.  Please, I’ll do anything.  Please tell me what I did wrong.  I don't want this.  Please stop.”

“You went off with Max.”  In all those other timelines.

“It’s literally my job to go of with him.”  Excuses.  I undo my belt.

Max suddenly is behind us sitting in a nearby chair, his arms flopped over the back and his legs on either side of the back.  “Would you like to make a contract, David?”

David screams out, “I wish Daniel wouldn’t want to rape me.”

What the hell is wrong with me?  Time stops.  I turn to the child who I see flicking his demonic fluffy tail back and forth.

“I see your love for David is completely different from how I thought it was.”  He continues to flick his tail back and forth.  I walk over and pull his hood down.  He says softly, “Thank you.  David’s witch is going to be beautiful this time.”

I laugh.  “Nonsense.  Redo.”  I reset to before I even brought David in here.  Why is Max still here?

“Such a shame.  I was going to enjoy subverting that wish.”  He then gets off the chair and unlocks the door before leaving.  When was that door locked?

What was he going to do?

I walk towards David and place a hand on his shoulder.  It’s so nice having him not flinch away.  He has no idea what I was going to do to him in the other timelines.  So innocent and pure.  I let him go in my daze.  He’s talking to Max.  I don’t think Max knows I’m listening.  David says, “It would be good if you could try and get on more with everyone.  I know that you like Neil and Nikki.”  He never seems that sad when they get hurt or die.  “The other campers are nice too.”

Max replies, “David, I’m not here to make friends.  I never was here to make friends.”  I don't see any signs that he has regrets, therefore there must be none.

“You just have to try, that’s all.  It’s not hard.”  Max suddenly looks angry.  It's like he only has two emotions and never mind what kindness David shows him he couldn't activate anything but apathy and anger if he tried.  I'm sure he could though.  He's just that evil that he won't.

“I don’t really want to.  I’m not like you.  You make friends with anyone, even Daniel.”  How see through, making me out as the bad guy.

David sighs and says, “I don’t understand why you hate each other.”

“Well, of course you wouldn’t.  You have a very low understanding of anything that’s going on.  There’s been too many uses of powers, too many wishes, too many resets.”

“What do you mean?”  Yes, actually are you saying that you're tired too?

“You must be aware that Daniel has the power to go back and stop time, just as I have the power to grant wishes however I want to.  I have granted many many wishes.  Only a miniscule amount have come from you.”

“Why does Daniel want to reset time so much?”

“I don’t know.  I thought it was because he loved you and didn’t want to see you waste your wish on something that would backfire on you, but now I see that he merely just wants you to be some emotional support for him.”  How crude.  David isn't that dumb.  That'll never work, Max.

“Is he suffering?”

“I can’t know.”  You mean you don’t know.

“Oh, so you don’t know.  I’ll go and ask him.”  Max seems to accept that, as he walks off.  David will find me soon.  I watch Max leave too.  Did he want me to hear that?  What is he planning?

“Hey?”  I feel so pathetic.  Maybe things would be easier if I’d never come to this camp.  Maybe-  No, I cannot allow myself to fall for this.  These are just the effect of being around Max too long.  He just spills dark toxins everywhere.  I could try purifying him.  I’m sure that if I improved his diet, put him through a sauna again, changed his clothes.  His white hoodie isn’t even fully white.  It’s got these weird pink bits and red bits and little bows all over it.  He honestly doesn't even seem all that strong.  I could easily rip it off him and get him into a nice all white outfit.  “Hey?  Are you listening?”  My sacrifice!

“Sorry. I was just worried about Max.” It’s amazing how easy David is to manipulate.

“Yes. You should really apologise for the whole almost killing him thing.”  This again?  He doesn’t know he’s already said this.  Stay calm.

“He’ll be fine in terms of that.  He always bounces back.”  Usually in a really creepy way, like reattaching his own head or creating another version of himself and doing unspeakable things.  “I’m more worried about how he treats people around him.”

“He has a lot of anger. I don’t think he’s bouncing back as well as you think.”  He looks over at Max whose leading a very happy looking Harrison away.  Harrison looks so happy.  “He does try, using his powers to make people happy.”  So he can take happiness away with greater effect later.  There is no reason for this.  He's just evil.

“Yes, he does try hard.”  He does effectively form false friendships with people but really it’s just a game.

David smiles.  He doesn’t need to know that Max is fake and kills people.  I can’t guess how many.  David would never guess even one but I’ve seen Max and all the merciless things he's done.  “I hope I can get him and the others to realise that they can be happy.”

Ah, perfect.  “David, you should concentrate on your own happiness for once.”

“But seeing others happy makes me happy.”  Oh really?

Of course it does.  He is the perfect sacrifice.  He is the perfect happy little man and completely harmless.  Such a sweet little bean.  I can’t wait until he’s made the perfect choice and abandoned Max.  Then he will be free from horror.  No faults.  I just need to show him that Max is horrid in a way that doesn’t immediately turn him into a witch.  His witch…

“Then you should be very careful.  Max will exploit any wish that is selfish.”  Just wish for something small.  Something so small Max can’t exploit it.  “I have met you so many times.”  If you will just listen you'll understand that you can't trust Max.

“It sounds like we became good friends.”

“We did.”  Sometimes.  “We made a promise to continue and see everything through.”  I can use this friendship to help David.

“Everything?”

“The threats of the witches, the threat of despair, the threat of everything.”  How do I even begin to describe the depressing reality that we live in?

Max interrupts, “The threat of mammaries.”  Is he a mind reader?

We ignore him as he seems to have disappeared anyway.  Still I don’t like it.  It’s like he’s always watching.  Always waiting, always knowing that I can slip up oh so easily.  It’s probably because he is always watching, always waiting, always knowing that I can slip up oh so easily.

David is giggling and I wish I could too.  He says, “It’s good to laugh.  Sometimes it helps to make things feel defeatable and if something feels more defeatable, it is more defeatable.”  That's not how witches work.  Oh, you're referring to non magical stuff.

I nod.  “Feelings are some of the most powerful things in the world.  Never give up on knowing that you can feel safe.”  I will ensure that you are safe and sound with the Ancient Ones.  “I love feelings.  They beat facts all the time.”

“I guess so, in the right context.”  I wrap an arm around him.  He must learn.  He must learn to trust his feelings as they’re the only logic that matters.  “I could show you so much if you let me.”

“Oh really?”

I only have a few minutes before we hear Harrison’s scream.  There’s no use in pulling David away so he can’t hear.  There isn’t time.  “Yes.  I could show you the light and you would know what to wish for.  You’d become so pure and safe.  You could be at your full potential.”

As I watch my statement sink in to David’s face, I spot that Max has left Harrison and is talking to Gwen.  Why is he acting differently from usual?  Do I not know his behaviour as well as I though?  No, I've watched this many times.  That said, why is he talking to someone that’s already made a wish?  A wasted wish and all.  He loves taunting her about it: about how the one job she has she wouldn’t if it hadn’t been for him and he once told me that he had made it part of the twist that she’ll never be able to work anywhere else, but I don’t know if that’s true.  I daren’t tell Gwen what he told me.  I won’t take every pleasure from the nasty boy and maybe if I let him do this, he won’t hurt David’s innocence.  I have no idea what he’s saying.  I can’t let myself care either.  David scowls and considers my point before finally saying, “Whilst there’s always room for improvement, I think I am pure and safe enough.”  Oh, you’re on the right path but I must fix that arrogance.

I could show him what purity is all about.  “You want to be the best counselor, don’t you?  I could make it be so that everyone-”

“That’s what I should wish for.  Then everyone would be happy.”  No!

I see David run over to Max who is watching Harrison cry over his brother’s blood covered body.  It’s not dead, but it’s dying.  That’s new.

Again suddenly a new event occurs. Max has set of Gwen early. Her witch is here.  David's words are stopped in his mouth before he can waste his wish.  What is Max's goal?

Harrison screams out as Gwen’s witch takes his brother from him and brings a twilight themed vase down repeatedly on his body slowly aiming first at the feet, then at the hands, then plupping the arms.  I guess they really did make twilight everything.  How unfair it is that she’s splattering blood all over me.  I try so hard not to get blood on my clothes even when ascending people and now they will need a fourth wash today.  I pull out my knife and stop time before she can say that the baby died too quickly for her fun.  She hasn’t actually ever said that but I could see it happening so easily. Once time is back I look at Harrison and David.

David turns to Harrison and I can see his fear in his eyes and Harrison starts to shake.  Then as the brother draws his final breath, Harrison turns to a witch.

Just once I would like Harrison to last long enough that I get to see his magic boy form.  I suppose I could be and it looks exactly the same.

David screams.  I pull him away from the angry witch.  Suddenly he turns to Max and shouts, “You got Harrison to make a bad wish.”

“I had to.”

Getting in Max’s face, David shouts, “No, you didn’t.  You don’t have to do any of this.  You have an amazing power and you could use it to make people completely happy.  I wish you would.”  Idiot!  Max will take that as a wish.  I’ve never seen a soul gem appear there before.  He looks so sweet in that beautiful dress.  He defeats Harrison with ease.  That’s one camper dead.

How did this all happen so fast?  How could I fail again?  I didn't have time to think.  Just to observe, David's bravery and foolishness, Max's vindictiveness and that camper's sadness.

“Well, that’s different.  Still, it doesn’t mean that I can’t complete my job.”  Max walks over to the brother’s body and boredly pokes it.  “You think anyone is going to want that?”  David shakes his head clearly disturbed.  Max picks the body up and starts to eat it.  “It’s a shame you can’t eat this. It plays with your immune system but gives me a tonne of nutrients.”  He makes happy work of peeling the flesh of the bone before throwing it in the air and catching it in his mouth.  I suppose it is at least free of dark toxins but still he shouldn’t be eating it. I don’t care if he is not really human.  Babys’ flesh should only be absorbed by bathing in the blood.

Wait, what job?

“Are you really going to grant wishes nicely from now on?”

Max scowls not replying.  I guess he must now. That was alarmingly easy.  Who would have thought that David's wish would be good?  What am I to do now?

I suppose we’ll have to test this.  “I wish you would stop eating that baby.”

He laughs and says, “You already made your wish.”  He slows down his ripping the skin of the arm and stresses the way he crunches on the bones.  I don’t deserve this. All I did was crack my neck and not blink.  He licks an eye and says, “It reminds me of candy.”  He then squidges the innards onto his tongue and adds, “The feet got too mushed up so sadly I cannot boil them and make the resemblance uncanny.”

David squirms trying to avoid the sight.  “I have some candy back-“

“Did you miss the bit about this being really nutritious for me?”  I want to ignore that bit.  I want to ignore everything about you.  I think David does too.  Max changes the topic while licking a tibia.  “I don’t have the heart to subvert David’s wish as I should.  I didn’t think that by granting David’s wish, I would be unable to subvert it.”  Doesn’t he count…  No of course not.

My dear sweet sacrifice says, “You can show your anger in other ways.  Maybe something constructive and creative.”

Max leans up and says, “You imagine everything to be so sweet.”

“I see no reason the world can’t be sweet.”  Like he knows anything about sweet.

“I want some of your sweetness.”  Max wipes his lips free of blood.  It isn’t too effective.  He then pulls David down and they kiss.  I think Max kissed first but how can David kiss him?  It’s disgusting.  Completely immoral.  How dare...

David pulls back.  He whines, “I’m so sorry.”  I run over and hug him but he pushes me away.  “I’m sorry.  I’m sorry.  Have I really been that obvious?  I’m sorry.”  What the hell is he talking about?  This has come out of nowhere.  “I never asked to be a pedophile.”

That’s it.  That must be the subversion.  There is no way David was like this before.  Max did this to him.  I have to save him.

Redo.  No, redo further, to before we met.  It’s time to meet David again.  No attempt to kill the campers this time.  No nothing like that.  Not even the moment that I discovered just how pure David is and the moment I realised that every issue with him is Max’s fault.  I know it happened so what does it matter if no one else does.  In fact, Camp Campbell won’t even have started for the summer just.

I find David and Gwen in the Conseler’s Cabin, with Max?  The young boy is crying.  “My parents have… have done unspeakable things to me.  Please let me stay here early.  I won’t tell anyone.”  Oh no.  I can’t interrupt this without looking like a jerk.  “I’m so scared.  Everything is wrong.  Ever since this cat appeared, my life has just been hell.”  Cat?  Does he mean Kyubey?  But he?  He is.  His hoodie has the two sets of ears and everything.  He’s been all stoic.  He can’t not be Kyubey.  “I made a contract but I don’t understand.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't like doing this but thanks to Daniel being a blithering meanie, I would like to point out that amongst the many things Daniel got wrong here, pedophilia is never the child's fault. Not even if the case here where a magically imbued wish has happened.


	2. Gretchen

With how weird everything is, I’ve decided to just watch from a distance and gather information for now. After all, Max is clearly just as confused about things as as I am.  It’s obvious that I’m missing something important. David’s last wish vastly changed his personality and that in itself is scary for the young child.  I myself am more confused than scared.  I am an adult after all.  Currently the two of them are sat next to a large fire while talking and roasting smores. It’s been a week and I haven’t seen Max do a single creepy thing.

David is calmly showing Max how to crochet and it’s interesting watching.  My theory must be right: Max did make David into a pedophile.  After all, he’s not showing any signs now.  No kisses, no drool, nothing like that all.  David is so patient with the little brat.  It truly is a wonder to watch.  Max hasn’t said anything about Kyubey or magic girls or contracts. I can’t help but think that maybe I have won, only I haven’t because David has lost himself.

“David, do you think this year will be better than last?”  Which last?

“Every year is amazing to me.”  Not the one where Dolph tried to get Preston to no longer be a witch with the power of love.  You really cried like a baby over that.  I had to turn back time one time just because Max and I kept on thinking about it and laughing.

“I know.  You have such naive thoughts and love of life.  That doesn't change that I am worried about this year.  I don’t even know if I will make good friends with Nikki and Neil.  Not when so much of our bonding was based on our hatred of you.”  That was surprisingly solem of you, Max.

“So you do want to make friends this year?  I will do everything I can to help.”  He’s just been insulted with the cruelest words and yet he keeps on being kind.  So selfless.  So happy.  So pure.

“I would like that.”  Why is he acting so weird?  “By the way, if I was evil would you hate me?”  Ah, that’s more like it.

“What sort of question is that?  You could never be evil.”  Oh, David, you know so little.

“I have killed around a million people.”  A million!  I need to catch up!  How many have I killed.  Let's see a camp full of kids usually takes me a few weeks to succeed with.  I only tried so soon with Camp Campbell because David's a complete idiot.  I mean his wonderfully granted purity allowed me to feel more confident.  Too confident.  I've learnt my lesson though.  I won't let myself get too hopeful again.  Must watch _every_ little thing.

“Sure you have.”  He giggles naively.  He does not wear sacaism well.  Not too surprising to be honest.

Max explains, “A thousand years ago, there was a prince who had no friends and plenty of enemies.  He grew to hate people in general with their apathy and prideful ways leading to bullying and carelessness in an endless loop of valor.  Then one day that was otherwise very ordinary he met a strange creature.”

Max lifts up his hoodie and at first nothing happens then he slowly takes his other form.  His voice slowly loses all emotion as he talks, anger replaced with apathy.  His hands go into his pockets so we can’t read their meaning.  “The creature looked a bit like this.”  The hoodie is now completely white and the pink little dots are on it.  The little bows on his shoulders are there but he seems to be covering them for some reason.  I can see the circle on his back just fine though.  “The creature told the young prince that he was very powerful creature and all the things he could do.  His body could be destroyed and yet he would survive, grant wishes however he wanted, and gather energy to help fix entropy.  The boy immediately smiled and declared the powers very cool.  He said that he wished he had such powers.  Little did he know that he would have to spread despair, that he would be hated for his good work as much as his bad.  Then he realised something or rather everyone else did: he wasn’t growing older.  He tested out what was going on, first cutting himself and healing in seconds, then cutting off fingers and watching them grow back, the blood still dripping from the cut off fingers as he watched excitedly foolish.  Never mind how he ate, exercised or anything else his body never changed."  Why is he trying to be so emotionless about this?  I want to understand too.  David certainly won't understand without emotion.  He's a being of purity after all.

Max stops his story briefly to put his hand in his mouth and bite off a finger as though we need proof.  How does he do that so easily?  David doesn’t react at first, I think due to simply not believing his eyes, then he pulls Max’s hand away from his mouth, his eyes filled with worry.   However like the boy said, he healed right before our eyes growing back without so much as a scar, though there was still plenty of blood, both from his hand and the bitten off finger.  He crushes the removed finger with his teeth and continues his story blood dribbling down his chin, “So the boy realised that he would never grow. Grow as in age. Growing as in healing happened all the time, often to mildly amusing effect. He decided that he didn’t care and there was a lot of great things about being little. However the people around him didn’t see it that way. He was cast out of his family as a demon and little did they ask if there was something inside him.  So he made no attempt to get back to his family and instead became a pauper.”

There is a brief pause. A dramatic one maybe. It would be meant that way if I was telling the story.  Max reveals no reason for the pause as he continues, “He wandered the streets for years before getting taken in by a old couple with strange habits.  He liked them but they didn’t understand that it was a bad idea to make wishes around the boy who had no control of his powers.  They died miserably and there was nothing he could do. He grabbed their stuff and moved on.  Soon it felt like second nature: get pitied, get taken in, grant wishes, kill everyone, move on.  Faces blur, move on.  It’s been centuries, get bored of people finding it weird even, move on.  The mind can get used to anything you know.”  Then Max starts singing softly, “It was simple: all he had to do was not care.  Then along came a stupid man with a stupid smile and a stupid idea that the boy deserved to be happy and the stupid man went and wished away the boy’s one way of coping.”

Oh my, I can’t believe I was actually falling for that.  Okay, so he was cleary doing a great job acting at first, kind of, ish, a little but still. I bet that a million is an exaggeration and mathematically not even feasible.  Let’s see.  That would be a thousand per year. That would then be about 2 and half per day… which is completely reasonable.  I'm still jealous.  Still, the rest is definitely fake. He probably put on the white hoodie just so that we didn’t see the glee in his voice. He is a master manipulator after all. That has to be how he could emote so well in the white hoodie. It’s the only explanation.

David’s eyes are watery. He says, “I’m so sorry. I wish I hadn-” He’s fallen for it. Max doesn’t need to even do anything though.  He had an advantage over me from the start.  He's known David for longer than I thought.  I don't know how long so I can't just find David first.  If I could get that information, I could win.  How do I bring it up?  This isn't the time.

I scream, “Stop!”  I don’t care how crazy I look.  I’m not letting Max be more powerful.  Not after just losing so much power.  “Stop. Don’t trust him.  Don’t trust the child who is not a child!”  Don’t make the mistake...

They both stare at me for a long while.  I have no idea what either are thinking.  Max turns to David and asks, “Is this your brother?”

David replies, “I have never met him before in my life.  What a strange thing to assume?”

Of course we’re not related.  We don’t even look that alike.  Never mind what people say.  All the time.  Constantly.

Max says, “In that case, let’s just ignore the crazy man and you make your wish.  I’m fed up of him slowing this story down.”  Wait?  What story?  “Come on, David. Please.”

David looks at Max and says, “Okay. I wish I-”

Why?

Actually that’s a good point.  “Why did David’s wish carry over again?”

Max twitches, but David doesn’t realise that I have said something that reveals that Max knows me and Max has responded in a wonderful manner.  He is lucky that David is so pure.

He says a little too late, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”  He looks at David eyes, his full of hope.  Very suddenly, Max seems to just crack.  His whole expression changes and his pose is suddenly full of energy.  His hands leave his white pocket and stretch out as he jumps up and down.  He screams, “I can’t take this anymore.  It’s been too long.  The burst of energy that I used to mistake for hope, the slow descent into quietness that I used to think was people just needing space, then BOOM a witch.”  Then hyperventilating, he sobs though weirdly enough he’s smiling, “Sometimes I turn people into witches just so I don’t have to watch it and feel the false hope that maybe this time it’ll be different.”  He starts to laugh, “It never changes and now me and this weird new magic person haven’t properly slept in weeks because we’ve been in a battle that I know I’ll lose.  I can kill anyone but myself.  My soul gem is pure never mind what happens to me.  It’s awful.”

I shout, “I don’t believe you. Your soul gem must be as black as the night! There can be nothing pure about you.”  You wouldn’t know purity if it cuddled your face.

Max doesn’t reply verbally.  He simply lifts up the bow on his right shoulder revealing a pretty piece of jewelry then he transforms back to his blue hoodie form.  Then in his hand he reveals his soul gem.  It’s pale blue and completely undeniably beautiful.

I ask, “But how?”

There is a quiet sadness as he replies, “Because, I guess, I’m more useful for helping entropy alive, whether I want to be or not.”  I can see the crocodile tears come down his face.  I must never forget that he’s cruel and manipulative, even when he’s jumping up and down shouting villainous things.

David says, “Language” but I can see that he’s scared and taking Max’s act in whole cloth.  He admits, “This is beyond anything I’m familiar with.”

“Usually I don’t even know if they’re dead. They just disappear. I used to think I would get used to it, but I’m not that strong. I remember so many names and faces, not always connected together, so many cases of people having already gone through shit before even meeting me, so many things that people have said to them that they didn’t deserve, that no one deserves.” By now he’s raving and spitting, so angry and I can’t help but want to believe him. “I used to tell myself that maybe if I tried to watch for people going quiet, this time it would be fine. No, I had to learn to get with the program. Everyone is going to die miserably and the world is full of apathetic morons who would rather their otp get together or get another piece of cake or for some invention to work than to actually do something real about the actual problems of the world.” I do wish he wouldn’t swear.

David looks at Max and says, “Wow.” Just wow. Whatever happened to ‘you have every right to be angry?’ Where is that purity that attracted me to David in the first place?

Frustrated, Max snaps, “Well, continue, David.”  I look at Max who also looks so utterly confused and angry.  “Talk to me like you did on Parent’s Day!” For once I want to agree with Max. It’s a little weird to feel this way.

Confused David asks, “Parent’s Day?”  Of course, that hasn’t happened yet.  Everything is different from how I thought it would be.

Max turns to me and says plainly, “I hate you.”  I don’t have the heart to disagree.  I have no idea what has happened but somehow I ruined David.  Max wipes away his tears and tries to be stoic but he just can’t.  His voice is broken as he declares, “You know what I’m going to do.  I’m going to find a way to do my job even though you’ve taken the one person I’ve loved in years away from me.  I hope you’re proud of yourself.”

“You do know this person?” David is alarmed but right now, it isn’t cute.

Shaking Max turns to David and trying to keep his voice strong says, “Yes, I know him well.”  He clenches a fist and continues, a fire in his eyes as though he’s found a new confidence, “He is the newest bane of my existence.  He has undone every good thing you have done other the summer and every growth you have gone through.  He has driven you back to a flea that shows so little potential that had I not seen it I never would have believed that I trusted you.  He has taken us back to a past I did not want to revisit.”

“Try me. Tell me everything.”  Eh?

Max also looks confused.  “I guess the best place to begin would be when Nikki and Neil came to camp…”  He continues telling David all the things that have happened, but he can’t be telling the truth, especially not about The Order Of The Sparrow.  David though keeps on nodding like this is all believable aside from when he badmouths Gwen and Campbell.  I still hate Max but hearing how Gwen reacted to Mr Honey Nuts makes me hate her, just a little.  He even starts talking about our fight and I keep on nodding even as he comes to my attempt to rape David.  He doesn’t leave out anything even the stuff that makes him look bad.  I keep on looking at David and he takes it all in.  He keeps on wiping tears from his eyes. I am shaken by the end.

After Max finishes I have nothing to say.  I look to David who has a creepy grin on his face. “You make it sound like I became this amazing counsellor.  I’m too scared.  I don’t want to go through all of that but I do want to have gone through it.”

What does that even mean?

Max says, “Then wish to undo Daniel’s terrible reset of time.”  He’s right back to apathy, I think.  Maybe.  I don’t know.  I can’t read this child at all.

I have to admit, I agree.  “Yes, please.  We’ll find a way of sorting this but we need to do it with the you that we fell in love with.”  Why does my love rival have to be a child?

David is clearly thinking something that he’s not willing to say.  He instead grins and says, “Okay, in that case, I wish that Daniel’s resetting of time that took us back to the point where none of the things that made us better people never happened.”

We briefly see David in his white and pink dress and I note that he wears his sole gen over his right eye.  Then fades into nothingness.  I don’t get the chance to admire his pretty pink bows even if they do look ridiculous next to his red puff of hair sprouting from the front of his hair.  No time to admire his poofy skirt and puffed sleeves.  He just disappears.  I look at Max.  A single tear falls down his cheek but I don’t understand why.

I watch time go far ahead for once.  Then once we’re standing alone we realise that it’s close to the end of summer and start to cry.  However, we can’t afford angst.  I run towards the area of the forest from before and David looks so sad.  Oh yes.  There was that whole pedophilia thing.  Time to go and reset so that Harrison never makes a wish and Gwen doesn’t turn into a witch.

Max is with David and there’s hugging.  It looks so wonderfully platonic.  So why can’t it be?

I can’t keep Max away from David.  I can tell David all the nasty things Max has done and I can make it so that Max will listen.

I walk towards the two with a bright smile on my face and get nice and close.  Max is still sobbing, but now the real David is here and it’s amazing.  I can hear Max speaking.  “I know I shouldn’t but while I’m numb to most deaths sometimes I just blame myself so much.”  He’s shaking.  Shaking in his white hoodie.  That break really did break him.  I can defeat him.  “I blame myself that Nikki wished to be a wolf one time and that I didn’t understand that she still wanted to be human sometimes too.  Once a firework is set off there’s nothing anyone can do to stop it from burning out.  I’m surrounded by fireworks and people who don’t care.  I don’t understand how you keep going.”

David replies, “You’re right.  Some people aren’t able to keep going for long.  That doesn’t mean that they didn’t make you happy.  Also just because you don’t see people greithing it doesn’t mean they’re not.”  Max doesn’t look too impressed.  “If you are right and they’re not, the love you felt for them still is a good thing.”

Max asks, “How can I tell you again?  I don’t have the energy anymore.  I have been through forty two times as much as you.”

David asks, “Forty two?”  Yeah, you…  Oh yes, that wish.  I run over and push him over with a hug.  He calls out, “No glomping” and I have no idea what he’s talking about.  Max likewise hugs him.  David’s got such a nice body, but I daren’t go any further and I don’t know why.  No, wait.  It’s the wish.  That is really effective.  If Max wasn’t an abomination, I’d be impressed.

It feels so good to just be wanting to have pure…  It feels so good to know that David is so pure that he can make Max’s wishes pure.  He could possibly even make the purest wish.

The purest wish.  If I could make him wish that he really would be the ultimate sacrifice.  To give up his own existence so there may be no more witches: is there anything more noble?  Is there’s a greater use for a man like David than this?  The Ancient Ones will love me forever for this.  I will be honoured like no one else has been before.  My bad blood will be swiftly drained from me and I’ll finally be as pure as I could be.

It won’t be easy but if I can convince him that it’ll make everyone happy, he’ll do it.  What’s more Max won’t be able to do anything about it.  If anything it’ll just break his mind a little more.  I should celebrate but how.  I know.  I’ll cut Max into tiny little pieces. It’s so wonderful seeing blood leave the body and Max has an endless supply.  I don’t think there’s anything better than the sight of a child under me, not struggling but so calm as I cut into their skin, unaware that I’m the reason for their pain.  That I’m why they’re bleeding.  Max knows that I find his apathy creepy so he’s likely to be trying to creep me out unaware that I get off on this particular way of handling things.

When did they disappear?  Oh no, they took advantage of my gloating and whining to myself to actually move forward their plans.  They were supposed to take almost three hours just angsting over the situation in increasingly heart tugging ways.  I can’t lose.  If David makes the wrong wish what will happen?

Max is angrily shouting, “I’m sorry.  I forgot about this witch.”  It’s so dark.  Surely whoever lead to this witch must be the most truly evil being.  Must have a few things in common with Max, practically family.

Fortunately Nerris is here, transforms showing off the soul gem on her ring finger and she pulls out her d4s and starts throwing them at the witch.  It’s such a horrid looking witch with bright colours and little specks all over.

Nikki suddenly appears. She must be ready to fight too. She walks casually over to Max and David before saying, “There’s something I’ve been wondering.”

Ignoring the dramatic fight, David turns to Nikki and asks, “Oh, and what would that be?”

If we’re going to ignore the nebula and elf attempting to kill each other, in extremely pretty ways, I may as well ask the serious question, that I’m sure Nikki isn’t smart enough to ask. “Is it why no one noticing Max doing creepy stuff?”

Nikki shakes her head.  “Why would I ask that?  Max explained it ages ago.  Considering the amount of time you spend with him I’m surprised that you haven’t happened upon it yet.”

David agrees, “That is weird.”  He steps out of the way of a large d20 rolling over and lets it roll into the woods.

Max says, “He doesn’t care about me.  He’s just trying to keep me away from you.”  Clearly, he’s talking to David.  I guess being immortal makes the living entity of space and a elf fighting less exciting.

Preston reveals that he’s been here the whole time.  “I don’t think Daniel cares about anyone but David.  It’s so frustrating.  I’ve been trying to get his attention all day.”

“Yeah, it’s like he’s obsessed with him,” adds another camper.

David looks at me and I can’t help but feel weird.  “Well, you see…”  I really can’t defend myself from this one.  Time to ensure I never get into this conversation in the first place.  Redo.

Just as Nikki is about to state her question, Max says, “This had better be a better question than why the one Daniel just reset time from.  He hasn’t noticed that everyone has noticed that I do creepy things.”

Nikki laughs and says, “Yeah, we just don’t care.”

David naively says, “I support you expressing yourself however you wish, though I wish you wouldn’t do things that are unhealthy.”  He again steps out of the way of the die.  I think it’s a D21 this time.  I didn't know those were things.

Neil agrees, “Yeah, eating that baby was gross.  Parent’s Day had such a weird effect on you.”

They all laugh and I feel stumped.  What do they mean?

Max agrees, “Yeah, it gave me hope.  Maybe if I was a normal magical girl I would feel something different but as it is, I’m aware for the first time in a long time that I deserve to be happy and I will take that happiness.”

“That sounds possessive.”

Nodding, Max agrees, “Yeah, the choice David has here isn’t really all that fair. It’s either you who is obsessive and fanatical, or me who’s possessive and actually just possessive, but at least I have plenty of time to work on my flaws.”

I pull out my knife and stab him a few times.  He heals quickly.  “Yeah, I suppose that infinity is more time than most people to work on your flaws. It doesn’t mean you will improve though.”

He falls to the ground.

“You’ve killed him.”  Language.  “I can’t believe he’s actually dead.”

“No, I’m not.”  Max appears from nowhere and walks up to his body.  “I can’t die. I just couldn’t save that old body.”  He picks it up.  “I guess you’ll want me to eat this somewhere private.”

David screws up his face and his voice shows nerves as he says, “If you don’t mind.”

Nikki agrees, “Yeah, I’ve seen you eat enough humans…”

“But I’m not human.  I don’t really know what I am.  I guess I’m an alien, since that’s what Kyubey is.”

Neil shakes his head. “An alien has to come from the other…”

Max’s eyes widen.  “If this was fiction, I would so be calling racism.”  Then he seems to go into shock again.  “Maybe it is.  Maybe Kyubey was lying just to lean in people’s xenophobia.  Does the fact that I’ve never questioned this mean…?”  Are we really going here?  He's a evil demonic being who kills people for the sake of entropy.  Who cares if he told the truth about what is really a very minor part of him.  Max is still talking to himself about this.

I have to interrupt this train of thought.  “There is no way that Kyubey is of earth.  The earth is protected by the sacrifices various people have made since the start of the earth’s existence around a-”

Max rolls his eyes.  “I don’t want to hear how young you think the world is or any more rubbish about your religion.”  He smirks a cruel smirk and adds, “Not that anything about it is real.”

“Nonsense.”

“I’ve been around for a thousand years.  During that time, I’ve had to change my name so many times.  Once there were rumours about young children in white that involve purity.  Rumours that grew.  They changed.  I can never remember if my name in the first of these rumours started with a z or a x.  Wouldn’t mind knowing where the big bang got involved…  I’m guessing space’s involvement started off with me being an alien though I don’t remember telling anyone that before.”  He keeps on talking but I’m not going to listen.  I won’t let it be the case.  I need this to be true.  If it’s not, that means.  It means I’m a murderer.

“Stop it, you’re lying.”  You're always lying and telling me weird stories.  You told me that our soul gems are containers for our souls and that our bodies are all that different from each other in a way.  I still don't understand why you thought that would freak me out.  That sounds really useful and I'd love to see how effective that is.  It can't be too useful since I have seen magical girl's getting their heads bitten off and that apparently killed them.  You're lying about the nature of the rules of the universe and admitting certain truths about others.  Honestly, it just feels like you're covering your tracks at this point.

I feel weird suddenly.

Max shrugs and smugly replies, “I don’t really care if I am or not.”

This boy doesn’t use emotions for anything but hurting others.  He has none of his own.  He hasn’t for a long time.  I have to say something though.  “If it had been true, you would have said back when we first met.”

Back when you looked like any ordinary child.

The boy glances towards Nikki and Neil and says, “I miss those days.  I was damaged, but it was different.  I don’t really want to explain things.  Maybe if someone that isn’t hasn’t stalked David across multiple timelines asks, I’ll do so but I don’t know.”

Nikki asks, “Has he done that?”

This is enough.  “Well, Max killed Gwen.  He sets people off deliberately down the road of despair just so he can use witch attacks to space out the conversation and get David to make the wrong wishes.”

Max nods, “True.  Continue.”

Okay!  “He outright told you in another timeline that he’s killed hundreds of people.”

Max cocks his brow, “I thought that was this timeline?”

“What?”

“I know it’s a bit confusing. Let me think back.”

David stops us.  “I think I know my own past and what Max has told me.  I have no memory of that at all.”

“But it happened in the past.  We just rushed forwards.”

I guess I’ll have to say the truth.  “Sometimes it’s best not to question magic.”

“But- but time and stuff.  How?”

“You’re the one that granted the wish.  You should know.”

Max turns to David and spits out, “I had control of my powers before you messed this up in another timeline.”

David asks, “Is my wish really that important?”

Max says, “Your wish has the potential to change everything.  Not in four hundred years have I met someone with so much potential.”

“You want him to wish away witches too?”

Max shakes his head.  “That would erase David’s existence.”

David cries, “I don’t want that.”

I have to explain, “But it’s the one wish that would fix everything. The only truly non selfish wish.”

Max doesn’t miss a beat and replies, “Only a truly selfish person would see it that way.”

David shouts, “This is it!”  We all turn to him.  “I’m not making any wish today.  Tomorrow I will have made up my mind.”

Tomorrow?

Max waits for David to leave then says, “Tomorrow will be interesting.  I expect there will be blood.”

Blood that matters then.  Not like today.  All that happened today was I discovered the perfect way to sacrifice David.  I guess it could have been worse.  At least I didn’t have to pretend to like anyone only for them to die around a hour later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please do not get your morality from how you see characters behave in fiction. If you feel that you are tempted to act like the characters presented here, there is something wrong with you. Please get help rather than complaining about my fic, or do I need to tell you that by saying something like "


	3. Faust

It was hard sleeping knowing that David has not that many more chances left to make the right decision. I’m sure he is pure enough. I can’t be mistaken.  I can’t have spent all this time on David for nothing. I won’t let it be true.

Just as I begin to nod off I hear a cry of “Raa Raa, in another timeline I’m a wolf!”  I sit up. It’s Nikki. “A really ferocious wolf. Awoooooooooooo!” I would love to remove her voice box but this really isn’t throat slicing time.  Shame really. What a joy it would be to crush it in front of her face then sew her neck up so she can’t complain that I’m abusing her. Heh, she could never complain again.

This is going to go on all night.  Isn’t it? I get up and see Nikki and Neil with a megaphone outside my cabin.  She grins then bites my hand. As I shake her off Niel shouts, “We’re not letting you sleep no matter what!”

I finally succeed in shaking Nikki off my hand and watch her charge into the cabin shouting, “For Maxvid!”

Neil rolls his eyes but agrees as they smash up my bed, “For Max and David!”

I pick them both up and throw them out, locking them out.  They appear next to the window and start banging on it, loudly.  They’re bound to tire themselves out soon but this is nothing I can’t deal with.  I find a pair of noise canceling headphones and put them on. Just as I feel myself drift off to my next sleep the door opens.  I remove the headphones and look at my precious angle as he enters the cabin. “Helllllo Daniel, I saw Nikki and Neil were at your window so I’m letting them in.”

No.

They jump on the bed and climb in next to me.  So impure. Neil tries, “We’ve been having nightmares.”

Nikki all too enthusiastically adds, “Yeah, really scary ones.”  Then she starts to talk incoherent babble. “Really strange. I was in this office with all these officers and they were talking about how they could use me and it was really weird.  Er, there was this one guy who made a wish and then everyone got really angry and he was killed and I didn’t understand why the words ‘I wish’ were so bad’ but they killed him anyway that the me in the dream seemed really happy.”

Sweating and clearly able to see that Nikki’s acting isn’t that good, Neil gives some of his own unsure acting.  “I’ve also been having weird dreams. It’s the 1740s and I’m sitting in a bar and everyone is saying I killed this guy only I didn’t and then these horses appear and someone dies.”

“The horses killed them?”  Trampled to death. That’s a new one.  I should try it sometime for my sacrifices.  Where would I get hold of some horses though?

Neil looks uncomfortable for a second then says, “I don’t think so.  Okay, so we’re lying. After Parent’s Day, Max told me he had that dream.  Nikki’s came along not long after that.” As though that wasn’t obvious. Of course you’re lying.

Stilly strangely confident, Nikki shouts out, “After Christmas!”  Well, that makes no sense. Is confusing me your new plan Max. It isn’t working!

I pick him up.  “David, they’ve been put up to this.”  I take Neil outside again only to walk back and see Max curled up in my bed.  Nikki is next to him and sleeping contently.

For some reason Max gets out a knife and starts spreading his blood over my pillow.  “I know how much you like bathing in my blood and I’m willing to be kind if you are.”  Sacrifice is...

What was that before about then?  “You want to make a deal?”

“Yes.”  He re-cuts his already healed wrists.  “I want you to listen. That’s all.”

“Okay.”  What’s the worst he could say?  And why did he want me to know about his dreams, but not that they were his?

Max smeers his cut over my sheets.  “Thirty years ago I made a friend who knew, unlike you, that he couldn’t fix everything.  He did however give me something many would trade their teeth for. He wished that I could forget about my past repeatedly until it came to a time that I met someone who could make the next step.  More and more memories have been coming back. First they were just strange dreams that I ignored. Since you have returned I have felt my powers increase. I don’t believe that by leaving this rotten world, David will be being truly selfless.  You need to submit.” You clearly know nothing of selflessness. Suicide is amazing. I’ll do it myself someday and it’ll be glorious.

“No. If anything you’ve just confirmed that I have to stop you.  You are getting these powers because of me.” I swear I will help the world.

Max turns round and pulls out some piliers from his hoodie pocket.  Just before he starts to pull out his teeth, David stops him. This is seriously disappointing, though I’m not sure what I would do with an endless supply of the same teeth.  “I know you have healing powers, but this is my choice. No more taunting each other. Both of you get to bed. Your own beds.” It doesn’t hurt him.

“You, David.  I have lost teeth before just fine!  It’ll just grow back!” Are you referring to milk teeth or your healing powers?  Do you even remember having milk teeth? I guess I’ll never know.

David tried to make his voice a little calm, but there’s still a tonne of care as he says, “You still have value and it’s crazy that you’re doing this to yourself.”  It’s like he’s trying to be as stoic as Max so that the words will have a greater impact. It’s honestly so refreshing to see. So kind. So caring.

I let the words slip, “So pure.”

Max stoically replies, “No, this is how you’re supposed to react to nastiness.”  He then reaches up and kisses David, confusing his message. At least it’s on the forehead this time.  Good thing too. I don’t fancy David cuddling someone so much older.

David sighs.  He pulls both Max and myself into a hug.  “I’m just one person. I’ll see what I can do.”  He keeps us in the hug as though he enjoys both our company.  Nikki wakes up and forces herself in the cuddle which Max seems to enjoy.  It’s weird. Max doesn't seem to care about most people and has even killed Nikki and Neil a few times but he does appear to genuinely like these two people.  They’re nothing special. Ordinary children that just need a little more purity so they can ascend.

We separate and head to our individual beds.

I’m met with a wonderful dream.  It’s the morning and I find Max and David sat next to each other like any other adult and child relationship.  Max is in his white hoodie and David is appropriately scared. I go up to David and say, “What is your choice?”

He replies, “I wish that there were no more witches and accept that this wish will erase my own existence.”

Max screams, the colour returning to his hoodie and his tail forcing its way into his body.  He clutches his head in genuine pain. “My powers? I had powers.” I grin and pull out my knife.  As David fades from the world his last sight must be seeing me cut Max’s face and it not healing. I cut again, creating a little cross.  “Why are you doing to me? Who are you?” The pain in his eyes is glorious. He’s not worthy of a sauna. Too impure. This will teach him for listening to someone manipulative.  I reach over to his other cheek and cut a nice jagged line. It’s honestly the most beautiful cut I’ve ever made.

I rip off his hoodie.  It’s glorious feeling the once powerful demon struggle underneath me.  I rip off his T shirt. I’ll do whatever I can to humiliate him. I rip off his pants and he starts screaming again.  He knows that that wish only protected David. I love the look of his tears as they stream down his face. Then just as I hold the knife over his heart…

I wake up.  It’s morning and it’s time for the real thing.  I can do this. That dream means that I can’t rely on fate.  I must force David to pick the right path then I will be rewarded.  Oh thank you. I will do my job. I will defeat this whatever Max is.  For that I must find David. He won’t be far. Knowing him he’ll be out on the activity field planning a day of fun or in the mess hall planning breakfast.  He’s not there or there. I guess maybe out by the campfire pit. Yes. There he is. Looks like some kids are there too. Please let none of them be Max.

I look at David sat next to Max, Nikki and Neil and a couple of other kids.  A dead Max is in front of them and Max is cutting up the body. “Nikki, I admire your honesty in curiosity.”

Nikki grins and declares, “I want to try an eye, a bit of intestine, oooh and some brain.  I’ll know now how it feels to be a zombie!”

“Again.”  I seriously don’t care who said that.

Max smiles and agrees, “And because what you’ll be eating is completely immortal, it’ll be the rare healthy human meat for you.  Also because I killed the previous Max willingly and yet am still alive you have no reasons to complain about it being immoral.”

David frowns but his reply is interesting, “Why are you saying that?  Who on earth wouldn’t know that eating people is wrong? If anything by saying such an obvious moral…”

Neil agrees, though in doing so he’s nibbling upon the rib of the previous Max, “Yeah, it’s not like anyone with non magical involvement in terms of eating people is watching.  Certainly no one who would assume for no real reason that we’re supposed to be idols.” He then starts putting a little bit of salt on the rib. “Wouldn’t it be cooler to just explain your own morality?”

David shakes his head.  “Even if they were, I don’t think there is a age where people are both aware of people eating and not replusived by it.  Why are we trying to pretend at this point to be against-”

Nikki screams, “Human eyes taste amazing!”

Max grins and you can hear it in his voice, “I know, right?”  I guess Max is taking Neil’s advice. “I am so glad that you suggested this.”

I have to admit I’m curious myself but the elder ones made it utterly clear that the eating of humans is wrong.  Not even in cases of starvation. Though it is fine to feed people to goats and then eat the goats.

Nikki splatters blood everywhere as she bites into a brain before turning up her face.  “Disgusting.” She passes it over to Neil who turns up his nose, not even trying it. David likewise refuses.  Actually now I think about it, he hasn’t eaten any. Max brings out a pen knife and cuts just a sliver of meat of one of the thighs.  “Go on, David. It’s really good.”

Go, on, refuse.  Prove me right.

David smiles and says, “I guess that it’s the end of the universe.”  He then raises the meat to his mouth and licks it before scarfing it down.  “Dang, Max, no wonder you eat people so willingly.”

Why?

I have to say something.  “This is disgusting. I wouldn’t even want to eat with that monster.”  They’re not even using any sort of spoon.

Max asks, “Anyway, before we waste another day on pointless discussion, David, have you thought through your wish?”

What are you planning?

David agrees, “I have.  However, before I say anything, I would like you to briefly and fairly, no interrupting each other, both say your arguments again for why I should go with what you think my wish should be.”

He knows that Max would do that.  He’s already made up his mind. I’ve got this.  I’ll let Max go first.

Max begin, “I don’t know.  I just want you to make things better for me.  I don’t want to be alone anymore. I just know that you’re the first person in hundreds of years to stand a chance of fixing everything.  I don’t believe that Daniel’s method will do anything to make things better. I think it’ll just erase your existence.” His tail suddenly appears and he flicks it back and forth.  He’s in his blue hoodie. He’s supposed. No, he just hasn’t done that before.

Okay, my time to shine.  “I want you to wish that there are no more witches.  If there were no witches, the world would be a better place.  Rather than having to become them once magical girls have too much despair, they would fight other creatures and it wouldn’t be needed to be so violent.”

David opens his mouth to talk but Nikki puts up her hand.  He stops and listens to her. “Why doesn’t David just wish for Daniel to have another wish and Daniel wish away his own existence if he thinks it’ll improve things so much?”

Neil agrees, “That doesn’t sound like too bad an idea.  I could then use my wish to grant Max’s wish.”

What no!  “I don’t want Max’s wish granted.”  Oh, no. Re-

“Don’t redo.”  Eh? “Too much magic has been used around David.  He needs to make a decent wish or he’ll grow too powerful.”  What do you mean?

Nikki asks, excitedly, “You mean he would explode?”

“I have no idea, but it would be really bad.”  Why do you sound so happy about that?

This is it.  My final chance.  It’s a good thing I can manipulate with words like honey.  “I know what would happen if David went with my idea for a wish.  You would be happier Max, because you would lose all your miserable memories that have been coming back to you and compounding on your mind.  Everyone else would be happier because they wouldn’t have to risk giving in to despair and hurting people. Guilt wouldn’t have to be feared anymore.  David, you could become a symbol of hope for all. Everyone would have a happy time and not just for the summer. Max and I wouldn’t be fighting anymore.  You’d be getting everything you wanted. Sure, you wouldn’t be there to see it, but isn’t everyone’s happiness the main thing.”

Max says nothing.  He just looks up at David.  Then with a gentle voice he says, “Be selfish, David.  I trust you.”

David frowns and says, “Okay, I’m scared but, I’ll make my wish.”  He’s going to do it. I’ve won. “I wish to help Max with the power of love.”

No.  Why?  How?

The wish comes true immediately and I can’t undo this.  David’s clothes go white and become all glowy. Soon a tail appears and he places a kiss on Max’s lips.  He’s become like Max. The fool. Doesn’t he know he’s now in the same trap as Max? Max smiles and says, “I don’t believe it.  You’ll never burn out now. Yes, I won’t be free but things are better.”

David cups Max’s cheek and says, “I never knew I loved you this much.”  As he finishes this sentence, the bows next to his floof turn yellow. It’s like his outfit is saying to me that this really is who David is.  That the pink from before was a lie. That I only saw him as pure because I didn’t want to admit that he won the song battle. He was never a sacrifice that could have got me with the Elder Ones.  He would have just been another death. Just another adult that acts like a child despite being nothing like one. I grip hold of my head. I’ll forever...

Max looks at David as though he was made of titanium.  “I suddenly feel deeply for you too.”

They bring their heads together then nervously Max reaches up and places his lips on David’s.  Soon, they’re kissing increasingly deeply. David leans down and wraps his arms around Max’s body lifting him up.  “I want to share my life with you.”

How did it end up like this?  It was only a wish.

This is awful.  There’s nothing I can do.  It was just fine.

There must be something I can do.  “Neil?” You’re smart. Do something.  Wish this away or something. Anything.  It doesn’t matter if it’s ridiculous. Just try something.

Neil looks at me.  “What do you want me to do?  I don’t know how to fix this.  This is just getting really weird.  Who would imagine something this stupid?”

Stupid!  You find the missed opportunity of all time to be stupid!  This is beyond stupid. Beyond words. Grammar. It’s beyond grammar.  It’s beyond everything.

Nikki agrees, “Yeah, this kind of came out of nowhere.”

Neil says, “Yeah, when did this turn into a monsters slash human love story?”

Max comments, “Yeah, it’s not like it’s a tale as old as time or anything.”

These words so plain.  How can they not be freaking out?  After all, two people are kissing. Kissing.

Kissing!

I give up.  I’ve lost. There’s nothing I can do.

And he called this the power of love.  Love! This isn’t love. This is… this is… just wrong.  How dare he shatter the idea of love like this? Love is precious and pure, never to be maltreated like this.  I would know. I would know so well. For I, I am someone who has worked so hard to ensure that everyone is better than they could ever hope to be on their own.  That makes me pure. It makes me selfless.

David and Max go back to kissing.  I’ve failed. Everything should just-

It’s all just broken.  I wanted to be one with the elder ones.  I wanted to save everyone. I wasted my wish.  Now David has too. Now David will be another monster, just like Max.  And myself. What am I?

Blood.  Pure red blood.

Blood covering his white skin.  Blood soaking into Max’s white hoodie.  Blood from countless children. So many children over the years.  Max will survive this. His hoodie will go back to white with no effect.  It’s not fair. He must die.

So many camps.  All poisoned and stabbed.  It was beautiful. It is beautiful.  I am beautiful. Pulling and ripping and tugging.  It feels so good. It all looks so much more than it ever could have been alone.

All for the greater good.

My greater good.  My feelings of love.  My greater love.

There’s no point in pretending that things can improve.  I’ve messed up. I got too confident. This is all my fault.

All Max’s fault.  All David’s fault.  They didn’t listen. I told them.  I told Max.

David’s emotions were just right.  I got too confident.

A thousands years for a thousand lives.  I’ll never reach Max’s numbers but I can show off the pain I’ve caused.  I can make David understand how dangerous I was. How much I could have done had I kept it together.  It’s too late now. I should be sad but I’m not. I’m just crying because I can’t help it. No time for regrets.  I must make my final mark. I would love to mark Max’s now blue pants red. Forever.

The blood is everywhere and it’s great.  So many children. They all deserved to die.  No, they all needed it. Maybe, I’ll get a better chance in the next live.

They certainly do.  They all look so happy and cute, ripping out each other’s guts and skipping merrily.  Accention has made so many people happy and I gave it all up for an idiot who can’t even see that it’s wrong to love a child.

Isn’t this great?  Preston is drowning in the blood I’m spreading just by being sad.  Finally some of the brats here will die do to me. This is all I ever wanted.  There is nothing else I can hope for. I must kill them all.

I must kill them all.  Slaughter them.

I must suffocate them all.  Drown them.

I must cut them into little pieces slowly and painfully.  Massacre them.

They must die.  They must cry. The must fly.

I will kill off Nikki and Neil.  I must punish Max. I have Nikki.  She’s so scared. She’s so perfectly scared.  Her eyes are so big and beautiful. Should I rip them out or enjoy their pain as I rip her legs off?  Oh, the joyous choices.

Why are you fighting me?  I did everything, David. Why are you trying to stop me?  No, not Nikki. You bastard. How could you do that to Nikki?

His dress isn’t like normal.  It’s like Max has transformed him into a beauty to match his own creation.  Why is it green? It’s supposed to be white. And pink like the paleness of blood mixed with water.  Water of life. Wash away everyone’s darkness.

Drown them all.

Omnem locum insilient.

Blood.  Pure red blood.  If I had succeeded…  I want pure red blood.  I want to be with the elder ones.  I can never win and you will pay for that.

Especially you David getting taken in by that monster.

Tu non intellegis.

I’m dying.  I failed. I wasn’t even able to kill off more than just that one k-

Spero te posse umquam.  Set laus mea. Gratulationes qui ad hoc usque ... vidi quod non potest iudicare.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't planning on giving you more, but...


	4. Epilogue

I’ve been a magical ‘girl’ for twenty years now.  I’m a lot like Max in that no one would know I’m a day over twenty four.  I’m still very different though. I’m still a camp loving, pedophilic, sweetie, though I know two of those things are pretty arrogant to say.  Max still is a grouch. Even if he my Honey Bear he’s still frequently mischievous, cruel even.

Around us though things have changed a lot. Nikki and Neil have grown into amazing people.  I don’t know what has happened to many other campers. Just that the ones that survived kept in touch with Nikki for a while. I think they’re happy now.  Nikki told me that she became a professional wolf cuddler though I’m sure that’s not the official name. Neil has helped lots of people with his inventions.  The world has changed. I doubt things would be better if I had wished away my existence. Max hasn’t found happiness in how I thought he would would but he is happier.  I can’t imagine being happier than I am. I have a wonderful boyfriend and a wonderful life.

Max is clearly happy with his life now too.  We’ll be together forever, rarely appart. Max is just the best and I can never ask for anything more.

Every three years we change location though there was one time we had to change sooner due to someone discovering but misunderstanding our relationship.  That was awkward. Still it is nice getting to see all over the continent. We’ve really been everywhere and it’s great. We’ve even camped out in a few strange places and had so many opportunities to help people.  Sometimes I have to send Max to school so convince people we’re having a normal relationship, which is always a pain. I don’t like the idea of him alone, learning that that he’ll never use, surrounded by people who don’t understand.  We know he’ll never change so what’s the point, when he could be here with me. Still he can always skip school and blame his ‘bad boy’ posturing for that. It’s so much more bearable now I understand him.

Truly nothing could ever be better than this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that you enjoyed reading this as I did writing it.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't like doing this but thanks to Daniel being a blithering meanie, I would like to point out that amongst the many things Daniel got wrong here, pedophilia is never the child's fault. Not even if the case here where a magically imbued wish has happened.


End file.
